- Healthy lifestyle habits, including healthy eating and physical activity, can lower the risk of becoming obese and developing related diseases.
- The dietary and physical activity behaviors of children and adolescents are influenced by many sectors of society, including families, communities, schools, child care settings, medical care providers, faith-based institutions, government agencies, the media, and the food/beverage/entertainment industries.
- Schools play a particularly critical role by establishing a safe and supportive environment with policies and practices that support healthy behaviors. Schools also provide opportunities for students to learn about and practice healthy eating and physical activity behaviors.
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- School breakfast and lunch menus are being revamped to provide healthier foods. Katsup (all by itself) is no longer considered a vegetable.
- The federal Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 requires schools that want certain federal funds to serve smaller lunches with more fruits and vegetables and less protein and carbohydrates.
- Packaging and self-preparation are assist efforts to get children and teens to make healthier choices. Examples are precut apple slices and self-serve salad bars. Amazingly the salad bars are wildly popular with both elementary and high schoolers.
